BALASORE: As Amphan approaches Odisha coast, the Balasore administration evacuated at least 8,000 people residing in seaside villages of the district and shifted them to cyclone shelters on Tuesday. The district administration has issued high alert in coastal areas for the next two days and urged people living in thatched houses elsewhere to shift to safety through public address system. In the morning, at least 30 families residing in Subarnadeepa island in Bhograi block were relocated to the Hasinpur cyclone shelter, three km away from the island. There are 18 cyclone shelters in the block.
The maximum number of 3500 people were evacuated from Jaleswar block, which lies close to the Subarnarekha river, by evening. Tehsildar Kshirod Panda said since all the three cyclone shelters in the block are being used as temporary Covid care centres, the evacuees were lodged in 70 schools. Similarly in Baliapal, at least 1000 people of Chowmukh, Dagra, Analdiha, Betogadia, Nugaon, and Jambhirai coastal villages were evacuated.
District emergency officer Rizwana Kawkab said by Tuesday evening, 8891 people of 103 gram panchayats were evacuated. Food, drinking water are being provided to people in all the cyclone shelters.
Around four NDRF teams have been deployed in Baliapal, Bhograi, Remuna and Balasore Sadar and six ODRAF teams are in Soro, Basta, Bahanaga, Baliapal, Basta and Balasore Sadar for relief and rescue operations. Apart from ODRAF and NDRF, eight teams of fire fighters have been deployed for restoration of power supply, telecommunication networks and road clearance after the cyclone. Medicines and anti-venom for snake bites have been stocked at health centres and anganwadi centres.
Pregnant women who have their expected date of delivery within a week, have been shifted to PHCs and CHCs for institutional delivery, Rizwana added. On the other hand, two persons were electrocuted in Nadigaon village within Balasore Sadar police limits. The deceased are Ramanath Das and his daughter-in-law Pushpalata Das. Ramanath was clearing some electric wires outside his house during rains when he came in contact with a live wire and was electrocuted. When Pushpalata tried to help him, she too was electrocuted.
In Bhadrak too, a massive evacuation drive was undertaken in Chandbali and Basudevpur blocks that have been put on high alert. These two blocks including Dhamra will bear the maximum brunt of the cyclonic storm. Commissioner of Excise department SK Lohani reviewed cyclone preparedness with Collector Gyana Das and other officials and asked them to ensure zero casualty. While people from vulnerable areas were brought to cyclone shelters, 142 pregnant women have been shifted to hospitals for safety. The administration has placed 92 water tankers at block level for providing drinking water to people and over 50 JCBs and excavators kept for road clearance work. Besides, 300 NESCO workers have been stationed for power restoration.